We are honored to share that Puddock Hill has received a 2026 Landscape Design Award of Merit from the Perennial Plant Association. The project was recognized in the Residential category during the PPA National Symposium in East Lansing, Michigan.
Established in 1992, the Landscape Design Awards program recognizes projects that demonstrate an exemplary use of herbaceous perennials to create balanced, beautiful and enduring landscapes. Entries are evaluated for their use of plant material, color, texture, seasonal interest and sustainability.
Set on a historic 12-acre property in Mendenhall, Pennsylvania, Puddock Hill began with a desire to work with the land rather than in opposition to it. The homeowners wanted to renovate their rear patio and garden spaces while remaining true to their conservationist values. The resulting landscape needed to support gathering, ornamental and edible gardening, and a deeper connection to the surrounding land.
Our planting design emphasizes native species that provide food and habitat for pollinators while reducing the need for supplemental irrigation, pesticides and herbicides. Existing legacy trees, woodlands and meadows were preserved and strengthened, allowing the more formal outdoor living spaces to sit comfortably within the property’s natural setting.
Clean pathways, patios and natural stone walls organize the landscape and connect the home with a series of outdoor destinations. Views align with the home’s doorways and extend toward focal points including a water feature and firepit. Gravel surfaces help collect and filter stormwater into the surrounding natural areas, while raised kitchen gardens gathered around a custom garden shed bring productive growing into the everyday experience of the property.
The finished landscape reflects the priorities that guided the project from the beginning: nature, gathering and environmental stewardship.
We are grateful to the homeowners for trusting us with their landscape and to everyone whose work helped bring the project to life. Many thanks to the Perennial Plant Association for this recognition and for its continued celebration of thoughtful, perennial-led landscape design.